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The tradition of insole embroidery in China has long been a part of the norm for their culture. The skills are passed down from generation to generation through teaching the process. Whether the designs are sewed with silk or cotton, the elaborate embroidery holds meaning beyond just being a pretty picture of a flower or a phoenix. Certain symbols represent ideas or messages that the wearer relates to. They are said to make people happy, and the design could be believed to bring good fortune, luck, safe travels, etc. depending on the combination of patterns and symbols sewed into it. These insoles take a good amount of time to make, and yet when being worn nobody can see them, but the wearer knows they’re there and embraces the meaning. This aspect of culture is in contrast to the Western tradition of shoes, and specifically from the paragraph I wrote in part one, about designer high heels. For these shoes, it is all about what can be seen of them that lends the wearer confidence and empowerment. Meanwhile, the insoles can have the same effect but don’t need to display their beauty to the world in order for the wearer to feel happy and confident as they walk along.